The invention relates to a valve assembly comprising a valve support and at least one valve unit fitted in its position of use with its underside leading to a mounting surface of the valve support, wherein the valve unit comprises an electrically actuated valve with externally accessible first electric connecting means, and wherein electric signal transmission means with second electric connecting means accessible from the mounting surface are located in or on the valve support, wherein the valve unit further comprises an L-shaped connecting bridge mounted on the valve for the mutual electric connection of the first and second electric connecting means, the connecting bridge overlapping with a first L-leg the top side of the valve opposite its underside and projecting downwards with a second L-leg extending in a vertical direction of the valve laterally past a drive section of the valve containing electrically actuated drive means, wherein first electric mating connecting means located on the connecting bridge are contacted to the first electric connecting means of the valve and wherein second electric mating connecting means, which are located on the second L-leg and which are electrically connected to the first electric mating connecting means via electric connecting conductors of the connecting bridge, are electrically contacted to the second electric connecting means assigned to the valve support in the position of use of the valve unit.
A valve assembly of this type, which is known from DE 42 22 637 C2, comprises a valve support which is designed for mounting several valve units and in which electric signal transmission means are located which are used to provide electrically actuated valves of the valve units mounted on a mounting surface of the valve support with the electric actuating signals required for their actuation. On the top side, the valves of the valve units have first electric connecting means, which are connected to second electric connecting means of the electric signal transmission means by means of a connecting bridge. The connecting bridge has an L-shape, overlapping with a first L-leg the associated valve on the top side and projecting downwards with a second L-leg in the vertical direction of the valve, establishing the electric connection to the signal transmission means in the region of the valve support. When mounting a valve unit on a valve support, the valve is usually mounted first, followed by the fitting of the connecting bridge. If the connecting bridge is fitted to the valve in advance, the connecting bridge can, if handled improperly, be twisted relative to the valve by acting on the downward-projecting second L-leg, which can result in damage to the mutually engaged first electric connecting means of the valve and first electric mating connecting means of the connecting bridge. This makes a subsequent removal and replacement of the connecting bridge difficult.
DE 19704152 A1 discloses a control unit suitable for mounting on a valve block, which has an L-shaped profiled housing which can be mounted on the valve block in such a way that it overlaps its top side with a first L-leg and projects downwards laterally past the valve block with a second L-leg. A valve control unit of a similar structure is also disclosed in DE 19730972 C1.